Logitech HD C615 Review

The Logitech HD C615 is a solid, compact webcam with a good balance of features, image quality and portability. Among other specifications, the webcam boasts a resolution of 1080p, 8-megapixel still images, autofocus and a glass lens.

Our Verdict

The Logitech HD C615 offers solid image quality, a great design and all of the features you’re likely to want in a webcam. For all but those seeking the best resolution-framerate combinations, the C615 is an excellent choice.

The webcam both swivels and tilts to give you whatever viewing angle you need.

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The lens is made of glass to reduce any visual interference.

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The webcam features a full 360-degree swivel.

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You can connect the webcam to a tripod if you'd like.

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You can completely fold the webcam away to protect the lens when you travel.

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There are several support options, including downloadable drivers, contact information and a user forum.

The Logitech HD C615 is a solid, compact webcam with a good balance of features, image quality and portability. Among other specifications, the webcam boasts a resolution of 1080p, 8-megapixel still images, autofocus and a glass lens. Additionally, its fold-and-go design makes it easy to take with you anywhere.

Like many other webcams, these specs come with a few caveats. First, it can only shoot in 1080p when the framerate is drastically reduced, and secondly, its 8-megapixel camera specification is achieved through interpolation – a process by which extra pixels are added using an algorithm.

These facts, however, are true of most PC cameras, and they don’t change the fact that the C615 is one of the best webcams you can buy. For its combination of image quality, features and design, the Logitech HD C615 is our Top Ten Reviews Silver Award winner.

The C615 shoots video in 1080p, which produces great-looking images with lots of detail. The problem is that the framerate has to be lowered to get there, which means your footage won’t be as smooth as it could be. If you need the resolution, you can by all means keep it at 1080p and just deal with the slightly sluggish video.

However, we think most people will end up shooting in 720p in order to keep the framerate at 30 fps. Although you’ll lose some detail in doing this, we think that is the most practical way to use the C615. If you need that extra bit of resolution but are unwilling to sacrifice the framerate, check out our review of the Logitech HD Pro C920.

The C615’s built-in microphone produced some of the best-sounding audio of any product in our comparison. It often sounded even clearer and more natural than some cameras that offer dual mics. It also did a great job handling noise reduction and keeping ambient noises, hissing and buzzing to a minimum.

This webcam offers autofocus to ensure you’re looking sharp at all times, and face tracking to keep tabs on which part of the frame is most important. Using these two things, the C615 does a nice job of keeping your face in focus and adjusting the white balance and exposure to present natural-looking skin tones. Some cameras can be kind of slow to make adjustments, but the C615 is quick and accurate.

One notable omission from this webcam’s feature list is digital zoom. Digital zoom is the process by which a camera crops away the edges of an image and enlarges the remaining image to make the subject appear closer. This means you’re actually losing pixels and effectively reducing the overall resolution of your image. Still, digital zoom can be useful for those times when you want to zoom in on the fly, and unless you want to do some post-production work on your webcam footage, there’s really no other way to do it.

Aside from a couple small issues, the C615 has an excellent design. It’s foldable and compact, which makes it much more portable than anything else we reviewed. This is great if you’re often on the move and want to take your webcam with you. Just be aware, however, that this emphasis on portability means you also have a much shorter USB cable – just 3 feet versus the typical 6.

It also has a built-in microphone and a glass lens. The microphone is standard but it fared well in our comparison against other cams. The glass lens is going to give you better durability and optical quality than plastic, so your images will look better and you’re less likely to deal with damaging scratches.

The camera is also tripod compatible. This can be extremely useful for those who can’t easily mount the camera to their display or those who simply prefer a different angle than the typical straight-on view. Wherever it’s mounted, the C615 is capable of panning left to right as well as tilting up and down independently, so you’ll always be able to make fine-tuned adjustments to find the perfect angle.

Logitech is one of the biggest names in the webcam industry, and its products tend to come with the most comprehensive support. The HD C615 comes with a two-year warranty, during which time you’re protected against defects in parts and labor. Should any other issues or questions arise, you also have access to Logitech support via phone or email. You can also check the FAQs and forums on Logitech’s site for quick answers to commonly asked questions.

In terms of raw image and audio quality, the Logitech HD C615 is a great camera. When you take that quality and put it into a design that is both more portable and more functional than most, you get a camera that’s really on another level. Although it can’t boast the best resolution out there, it’s a nice compact camera that is more than enough for most users.